Let’s say you’re at the point where you know you have an addiction, and you want to get help.

But what does “help” really mean?

Addiction treatment can take many forms, and different formats and styles work for different people. Let’s dive in to see a few of the different types of addiction treatment.

Residential

When most people think of addiction treatment, they think of “rehab;” this term has unfortunately developed a negative connotation over the past few years. People often picture a spoiled heiress who wants a vacation.

In reality, someone who is going to residential addiction treatment is remarkably brave in wanting to face their biggest issues and try to come out a better person.

So let’s explore the idea of residential treatment a little more. Residential addiction treatment, sometimes referred to as inpatient treatment, is when someone goes and lives at a treatment facility for typically a minimum of 30 days. The length of the program is dependent on the program and the individual, with some treatments lasting up to 120 days.

Once in treatment, many residential treatment centers will help a client detox from their preferred substance. The detox process can be very dangerous, so it’s always recommended that people consult with a doctor before trying to stop “cold turkey” on their own.

After the first few days of the detox process, a client is typically ready to dive into the main reason they sought treatment: therapy.

This therapy can take a few different forms. Some traditional rehabs follow the 12 Steps of AA; throughout your treatment, you often attend many AA or NA meetings, where you discuss these steps and your progress in them.

While 12-step based treatment programs used to be the norm, more and more non-12-step programs are popping up. These often include holistic rehab centers, which incorporate a balanced approach that addresses the mind, body, and spirit as well as more experience-based therapies.

When choosing a treatment facility, some people decide they want to stay in their town or state, so family can easily visit. Others choose to travel to another state, so they don’t have to worry about running into someone they know.

Regardless of where you choose to attend residential treatment, make sure that the program is licensed and accredited with one of the top accrediting agencies, like CARF or JCAHO.

Outpatient

To help you decide which treatment to get, it would help if you get a better understanding of iop vs php treatment to know which would suit you best.

While residential treatment is often recommended for someone struggling with an acute addiction, outpatient treatment can work in tandem to the long-term treatment goals of the individual.

Outpatient treatment can also take many forms. Some outpatient programs are more intensive in nature, with clients spending 30+ hours at the clinic in various individual and group therapy sessions.

Other outpatient programs are designed to be more of a step down process, where clients attend for a few hours three or four days a week. Over time, they may gradually lessen their sessions.

With any outpatient program, the defining feature is that you have the ability to live at home and, typically, can still work around your sessions.

Since you are living at home and interacting with your daily life, it’s essential that you are strong in your new self-regulation and sobriety skills, or else it can be easy to fall back into old habits.

One-on-One Therapy

After completing residential and outpatient treatment, people will often find a therapist to see a few times a month to help them sustain strong mental health practices.

The therapist you choose will depend on your specific set of struggles; for example, if you struggle with depression in addition to your addictive tendencies, you may want a therapist who specializes in depression and addiction. For someone who experienced a significant amount of trauma, you may want to find a therapist who has a background in PTSD and trauma healing.

Regardless of the therapist’s speciality, their job is to support you in creating a substance-free life, and handling the issues that pop up in your daily life.

Seeking addiction treatment can be a nerve-wracking process, but the opportunity to become clean and sober always outweighs the challenges associated with it.